A plurality of air openings are defined at the upper end of the self expanding booms of the prior art. Valves are placed in the openings to permit an air inflow when the boom is expanded from a collapsed storage or transportation mode. Air disposed inside the boom is also permitted to flow out through the openings when the boom is taken up, collapsed and rolled up on transportation or storage rolls or a similar devices.
While employing the boom, that is when the boom is floating in the water, the air openings must be closed to prevent water from flowing into the boom and to prevent air from undesirably flowing out of the boom sections so that the sections sink.
In an embodiment of the prior art, a plurality of tube protrusion or similar devices are placed along the upper edges of the boom. The protrusions are equipped with an outward shiftable or rotatable locking mechanism. In one position, the locking mechanism permits an uninhibited inflow and outflow of air and in a different position the protrusion is closed.
This type of air openings require manual adjustments both when the boom is laid down and when the boom is taken up and rolled up.
One object of the present invention is to provide a new device that, without the need for manual adjustments, permits uninhibited inflow of air when the boom is expanded and prevents water from flowing in when the boom is in use. Additionally, the air inside the boom must be permitted to freely flow out of the boom when the boom is taken up and collapsed.